


Reindeer Games

by thesaltybitch



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Author knows nothing of law school, Falling In Love, M/M, Mild Language, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 17:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16123727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesaltybitch/pseuds/thesaltybitch
Summary: Loki moves in with a local bartender and gets a little more than he expected.--Loki took a sip of the neon green drink. “Fuck, that’s good, what did you do?”Thor grinned, “I call it Reindeer Games. I thought you might like it.”Loki took another sip, “What’s in it?”“It’s an Odinson original, so I guess you’ll have to keep coming back to see me,” Thor raised his hands cheekily and backed away to help another customer.“Tease,” Loki called.“You have no idea,” Thor shouted over the general din, tossing him an audacious wink before attending to the small group in front of him.





	Reindeer Games

**Author's Note:**

> *emerges from the depths of fandom* 
> 
> HELLO! This was supposed to be a drabble and turned into whatever this is...
> 
> Completely un-beta'd. Somewhat edited? But I got too excited about it and tossed it up here. Please let me know if you spot any mistakes! 
> 
> Also, maybe be a little gentle with the author in your reviews this time around? It's been a long time and a girl is rustyyyyy. *hides* 
> 
> But that's all from me. I hope you enjoy!

He was wearing the shirt, Loki noted as he slipped into a seat at the bar. It was red, thin, and looked like it was pushing new limits of what the word “stretch” meant as it clung to his pecs and hugged at the rippling expanse of his back. It was Loki’s favorite and seemed to be Thor’s as well, because he wore it often enough that the edges of the neck had begun to fray just slightly. Loki reached over the bar and plucked a couple cherries from a dish, popping one in his mouth absently as he watched Thor laugh at something a coworker said, his arms raised to pull his hair into a loose bun at the base of his neck. He twisted the cherry stem in his mouth, making a knot as he watched the muscles in Thor’s arms and chest bunch and release, shifting underneath thin cotton and skin. 

Loki spat the knotted stem into his hand and bit into the next cherry. They’d only been roommates for a couple months at this point, but as far as roommates went they’d landed the perfect situation right off the bat. Loki had been desperate for a break from the suffocating culture of law school and posted an ad looking for a room with a non-student. He’d gotten a message on Instagram just a couple hours later from Thor who had a recently vacated room available. Loki spent the day stalking his social media and (after thoroughly scrolling through his instagram) decided it was more than worth it to meet him. He messaged Thor back saying he’d take him up on it and agreed to swing by after his last class that day. 

Thor had answered the door with his giant, golden mane of hair flying loose around his face and a warm, hopeful set of blue eyes. Instagram had completely failed to prepare Loki for how breathtaking the local bar manager was in person…or exactly how big he was, either. Gods, he had known the man was fit, but he practically filled the doorway with a set of thick, broad shoulders that offset a pair of narrow hips. Didn’t look like he skipped leg day, either. 

But before Loki could force his brain into motion, Thor’s face had split into a smile and welcomed Loki inside, explaining that his previous roommate had gotten a job rather suddenly and the offer was too good to pass up. The room was available to sublet for the next eleven months if Loki was interested. And as it turned out, he was very interested, quite possibly because living on campus for the last year had been actual hell, or maybe Thor was just that convincing. But also Thor’s place was nice. It was small, but clean and updated. It looked like it had just been redone with wood floors, a solid kitchen, and Thor seemed to be a fairly tidy person. Loki signed paperwork that evening and moved in the following day. 

It hadn’t taken long for them to become friends and even less time to establish a routine. Thor was warm, reliable, and a social genius—he was quick to smile and had a way with people that made them feel instantly at ease, Loki included. He seemed to know everybody and everybody seemed to love him. Loki, on the other hand, was cool, calculated, and coveted his solitude like a threatened dog; something Thor didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. Loki spent his time at the university all day during the week and, since Thor worked week nights at the bar, he came home in the evenings to an empty apartment, which was the kind of space he could only have dreamed of. Although, as it were, he wouldn’t have minded if Thor were ever around.

Sometimes their schedules lined up and they had some time off together. Thor had a habit of asking Loki if he wanted to ride with him on his Harley, a beloved Custom 1200 that he eagerly anticipated taking out on the weekends when he could. He generally took two-day trips and Loki was always working, but he’d done a couple half-day trips with him, and admittedly understood why Thor loved to ride. Although he wasn’t sure whether or not he enjoyed the ride itself or the fact that he got to sit behind Thor, straddling the leather seat with his arms wrapped around 2 tons of muscle as they screamed down the freeway. 

“I don’t know how you do it,” Thor had said one day after Loki declined another trip due to work. “How do you stay sane working so much?”

Lok shrugged. “I’m trying to get out sooner than most, so it’s just reality.”

“Do you take mental breaks, though?” Thor frowned as he pulled on his leather jacket. “I mean, do you ever get time when you’re not neck-deep in law?”

Loki laughed, “No.”

“Why don’t you make it Thursday nights?” Thor suggested. “Come down to my bar, it’s half-off drinks in the evenings and I’d be there.” 

“You’d be at the bar you manage?” Loki teased. 

Thor spread his hands unapologetically, “Hey, whatever it takes to get you out once in a while.”

“Oh really? Does that line work with all the boys?” 

“I don’t use that line on all the boys. Just the ones I like.” Thor winked at him. 

Loki snorted but felt his cheeks turn pink. They always bantered like this, but it always left him with twists in his stomach. Little butterflies that told him it wasn’t entirely innocent. He could only hope it wasn’t one-sided…

But of course the idea of seeing Thor every Thursday night had worked and he’d shown up that same week to be greeted with a dazzling smile and a quick, rough hug from Thor that left him smelling like sandalwood and leather. Loki rolled his eyes thinking back at how easily he’d been persuaded. He spat a third cherry knot onto a napkin in front of him. 

“Loki!” Thor had spotted him and waved, his face splitting into a massive grin as he made his way over. 

“Happy Thursday,” Loki couldn’t help the small tug at the corner of his lip. Thor’s personality was infectious. “You’re out of cherries.”

Thor raised a thick brow, “Am I, though?” He crouched briefly and resurfaced with a value sized jar of the brightly colored little fruits. “You think I’d run out on a Thursday? When I know you’re coming? Don’t insult me.”

“So nice to be expected,” Loki smirked. “So how’s the bar tonight?”

“Actually a little slow,” Thor’s massive shoulders shifted in a shrug as he refilled the cherry dish, automatically getting a small plate with a few extra on it and passing it to Loki. “I was actually thinking I might skip out early. Sif wants the extra hours and there’s no point in paying two of us to be here.”

“Can’t complain about that.” 

“You know,” Thor’s eyes flicked over Loki, considering. “There’s party that’s going on down the street and I was thinking of swinging by when I’m off. Do you want to come?”

Loki arched an eyebrow delicately. “I don’t think so.”

“Oh, come on,” Thor coaxed, wiping his hands and popping a cherry into his mouth as he put the jar away. “It won’t be that bad! Plus, you’re off for the night, remember?”

“But—“

“Alright, fine, I thought the promise of my excellent company would be enough like last time, but since you’re being difficult,” Thor crossed his arms smugly. “Tony Stark is throwing the gig.”

He knew that would get Loki’s attention. Stark was the heir apparent to Stark Industries, and Stark Industries had the nation’s best lawyers on retainer. Loki may or may not have expressed that his dream job was to work for them. They were infamous pit bulls, the best of the best, and if Loki’s reputation preceded him, he was more than capable of playing ruthless with the big dogs—it was all he’d ever wanted.

Loki narrowed his eyes at him. “Oooh, that’s a dirty, underhanded play,” he groused without heat, instead looking at Thor with something akin to pride. “I’m impressed.”

“And that’s as close to a ‘yes’ as I’ve ever gotten,” Thor clapped his hands cheerfully. “Here, pre-game is on me. You’ll want to be a little liquored up before heading into a Stark party, believe me.”

“Oh no, you don’t,” Loki shook his head and pulled his wallet out, rifling through a couple bills before pushing a twenty into the tip jar. “I never pay for shit and you’re losing money on me.”

Thor hummed breezily as he reached for various things behind the bar, “I’m the manager, I can do what I want. And we’re doing fine, thanks. Plus,” he slid a finished drink across the bar top and fished the bill out of the tip jar, handing it back with the drink. “I owe you.”

Loki snorted inelegantly and snatched the bill back, “For what, you idiot.”

“Saving me from eleven months with a random craigslist roommate,” Thor said seriously, leaning his palms on the counter. “I couldn’t have asked for a better solution to that whole roommate situation. I thought I was fucked.”

“Happy to oblige,” Loki took a sip of the neon green drink. “Fuck, that’s good, what did you do?”

Thor grinned, “I call it Reindeer Games. I thought you might like it.”

Loki took another sip, “What’s in it?”

“It’s an Odinson original, so I guess you’ll have to keep coming back to see me,” Thor raised his hands cheekily and backed away to help another customer. 

“Tease,” Loki called. 

“You have no idea,” Thor shouted over the general din, tossing him an audacious wink before attending to the small group in front of him. 

Loki didn’t realize he was grinning like an idiot until he went to take another drink. He hadn’t had somebody like Thor in his life in a very long time. The last person he felt truly comfortable with had been his high school friend, Darcy, and she had stayed in their hometown to work as a nurse at the local hospital. They still talked, but it wasn’t the same. Frankly, he mused, he technically owed Thor and not the other way around. Without him Loki would be drowning in law school drama and still living in campus housing with assigned roommates. He would never admit it to anybody, but he was in something of a downward spiral before he met Thor. He’d fiercely told himself to grow a backbone and buckle down, get out as soon as possible, and throw himself into the work he wanted to do so badly. He just needed to survive a couple years and he would be free. He loved the drama and the stakes of court and couldn’t think of anything else he would rather do, but the environment of law school was killing him. 

And then Thor had happened. He was everything law school wasn’t: warm, easygoing, down for virtually anything you could think of. Loki had gleaned details about his new roommate as soon as he moved in. He knew Thor loved thrills and loved his bike even more; he was perfectly content to be a bar manager, and he cared very deeply about taking care of his people. He’d taken extra care to make sure Loki knew he was one of his people and maybe that was why, once Loki had finally agreed to come out on that first Thursday, he knew he’d be coming back every week. It was helping to fill that hole in his chest that he’d been struggling to fill for so long.

“Hey, Loki,” Sif interrupted his thoughts. 

He smiled. Sif was cool. “Hey, Sif, what’s up?”

She looked a tinge uncomfortable as she gingerly set a drink down on the counter, “So, this is from the guy in the corner,” she jerked her head towards a tall blonde in the back.

“Oh,” Loki frowned and cast a glance over to a fairly attractive blonde with short, curly hair. His posture oozed the kind of confidence only old money could give.

“I tried to tell him it wasn’t a good idea, but he kind of insisted,” Sif said tentatively. “So, I may have just flat out told him you were taken,” she raised a brow pointedly, “I hope that’s not out of line, but you don’t exactly seem available either way.”

Loki looked at her quickly. “What do you mean?”

Sif rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh come on, you two are still doing this?” she laughed, shaking her head. “Alright, buddy, however you wanna do it. But if you ask the rest of the house, Thor hasn’t been this happy in a long time.” 

Loki’s heart skipped a beat. “He hasn’t?”

“Oh, honey,” She gave him a sympathetic look. “I’ve never seen a guy so head-over-heels. But that’s for you two to figure out. So do whatever you want with that drink, but heads up, I didn’t like the guy’s vibe,” she tossed a dark look at the corner. “Not the kinda guy I’d leave a girlfriend alone with, if you know what I mean.”

A flip of dark hair and she was gone, leaving Loki with the lone drink and the ring of condensation pooling at the base of the glass. He rolled his eyes and pushed the drink back across the counter, purposefully avoiding looking towards the buyer again. It wasn’t the first time he’d gotten drinks off admirers, usually it was other students trying to suck up to him and sometimes it was a suitor. 

“Hey there, beautiful,” a voice approached him from the side, sliding into the barstool next to him. 

Loki didn’t bother to turn.

“Well, if it isn’t my admirer,” he said dryly.

“Name’s Fandral,” the man offered, “I saw you as soon as you walked in, I have to say you’re absolutely beautiful. I guessed you were a gin drinker, was I wrong?”

“Thanks,” Loki smiled humorlessly and turned to look at him. “And yeah, can’t stand it.”

From across the bar he felt Thor’s gaze find him. He almost felt the wave of anger that rolled out from the big blonde’s look. 

Fandral shrugged, unfazed. “Well, that’s easily fixed, darlin’, what can I get for you?”

Loki raised a brow, “Look, you look like you don’t get told ‘no’ a whole lot, so I’m going to say this plainly: I’m not interested.”

Fandral chuckled. “Well, kitten, how do you know? We’ve only just started talking.”

Loki bristled at the pet name. “No, we just finished.”

“Oh, come on, baby, I can’t be the first one to approach you tonight, looking the way you do.”

“Excuse me?” Loki stared at him in disbelief. “Yeah, no, I think it’s time for you to leave.”

“Is there a problem here?” Thor’s deep gravel cut through the air and his gigantic shadow fell across the bar. 

“Yeah, Calvin Klein here doesn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer,” Loki spat coldly, “But it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“And I have a zero tolerance policy,” Thor ground out, motioning for the bouncer.

Loki caught his eye and shook his head. It wasn’t worth the scene, especially since Thor would undoubtedly hover close by until they left later on. Thor searched his eyes carefully before motioning Volstagg back to his place by the door, turning a blazing glare onto Fandral. 

“Next strike, you’re out,” he growled.

“Oh, I get it,” Fandral breathed, he had been looking back and forth between the two of them. “Sorry, man, I didn’t realize you were…my bad…”

Loki snarled but Fandral had already backed off and was headed back to his corner looking embarrassed and more than slightly put out. 

“I hate him.” Thor watched him go, glowering.

“I’d imagine most people do,” Loki agreed sourly.

“Unbelievable,” Thor had picked up a very clean glass and was scrubbing aggressively like it had offended him. “When did ‘no’ become an invitation to try harder?”

“First off, that glass is clean and it hardly deserves that kind of abuse,” Loki pointed out. “And second, he’s gone, now. Forget him. Do you still want to make it to that party tonight?”

Thor sighed and set the glass down heavily. “You’re right.”

“And don’t you have work to get done so we can get out of here?” 

Thor looked at him, his gaze softening. “Yeah,” he said absently, “yeah, I do.” 

He touched Loki’s hand briefly and then that smile was back and he was across the bar like nothing had happened, leaving Loki with little flutters in the base of his stomach.

He contented himself with watching Thor work, slowly working on the remainder of his drink. He hadn’t even realized he was done when Sif breezed past and swept it up, replacing it with another just like it. 

“This one’s on the house,” she said primly and added, “Although if you ask the house they’ll all tell you the same thing.”

“Which is?”

“That the big, pretty viking over there made it special just for you.” She jerked her chin in Thor’s direction.

“I’ll make sure to thank the house,” Loki said dryly, tossing a tip in the jar. 

“Wasn’t us!” she sang as she walked away.

Loki sighed and looked over at Thor who was in the middle of making several drinks, chatting with customers, and sliding tabs to be signed across the bar all at the same time, as easily as if it were breathing. He was truly a natural in this environment, a social genius at work in his element. 

He loved watching Thor behind the bar; confident, unhurried, and oddly graceful for a man his size. He couldn’t even fit through the door it seemed, and yet here he was, gliding around behind the little bar like a damn ballerina.

“Jesus, Loki, get a grip,” he muttered to himself, tearing his eyes away and tossing back the new drink in one giant mouthful. 

“Atta boy,” Thor’s deep chuckle startled him.

Butterflies surged in his stomach.

“I was told I should thank you for this one, too,” Loki said lightly, biting his lip to hold back the flood of emotions he’d been brooding over all evening.

Thor waved him off with the towel in his hand, “Don’t mention it.”

Loki gave him a look. “You’ve been giving me free drinks for weeks.”

Thor blissfully ignored him, reaching behind his back to untie his apron and unwinding it. “Well, it’s calmed down enough and Sif says she can hold things down from here,” he said brightly. “One more drink and we’re off? I’m gonna need a shot or two before this and you’re two ahead of me.”

Thor completely missed Sif and a couple other servers giving him thumbs up behind his back, but Loki didn’t. He flipped them the bird while Thor was hanging his apron up, rolling his eyes.

Fifteen minutes later they were walking towards Stark’s party, shoulders bumping companionably as they went. Thor had caught up to Loki with a couple shots and they were both feeling comfortably warm in the mild chill of the autumn night. Loki had decidedly shoved both his hands into the pockets of his jacket, despite the fact he was quite warm. Thor had tossed on his leather bike jacket and a black beanie over his mane. He looked like he’d just stepped off a shoot for Harley Davidson. It was almost offensive how he casually looked like a model and a viking god all at once.

“I think you could open up your own firm,” Thor was saying next to him. “You’re good enough to be part of Stark’s retainer, but I think you could be better.”

“Yeah?” was all he could say. It was a huge compliment. 

“Well, yeah,” Thor smiled over at him. “I’ve seen how you work. There’s no way you’re going to like taking orders and cases you didn’t pick. You’ve got the drive to make it on your own.”

Loki looked ahead and watched his breath mist into the night. “I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

“I mean it,” Thor said earnestly, giving him a gentle shove with his shoulder. “I’m not just blowing smoke.”

Loki laughed, “I hope you’re right.”

Thor tapped his shoulder to let him know he was stopping and turned to face a rather inconspicuous, rather beat up looking metal door against the wall of a nondescript brick building that was smashed between a million other businesses and buildings. 

A metal grate slid back and a pair of shrewd, hooded eyes appeared. “We’re closed.”

“Relax, Happy, it’s me,” Thor replied easily, motioning to Loki. “I brought a friend tonight.”

“Sorry, Thor, you know the rules.” The eyes shifted to Loki and then back to Thor.

Thor sighed. “Seriously? Do you know any other Thors?”

Happy hesitated. “No. But rules are rules, what’s your password?”

“Damn you, Stark.” Loki heard Thor growl under his breath before muttering, “Point Break.”

Loki couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up, but he bit his lip to keep from completely losing it. Thor glared at him grumpily for it. Loki had seen Point Break and it was a deadass good nickname. He already liked Stark Junior.

“Not. A word.” Thor warned, pointing at him as they were ushered through the door and into an unexpectedly extravagant room. 

“I didn’t say anything,” Loki grinned. 

“Damn right you didn’t,” Thor huffed, pulling his beanie off and shoving it into his jacket pocket. “I need another drink.”

Loki followed him across the crowded dance floor to the bar. 

“Whiskey. Neat.” Thor shouted over the music, holding up two fingers. 

The bartender nodded at him.

“Odinson!” A smooth voice cut through the din. “Hey! Odinson!”

Loki looked up and came face to face with Tony Stark, because there was really nobody else it could be. 

Thor spread his arms and grinned, “I told you we’d make it!”

Tony pulled him into a hug and released him, looking pleased. “Finally! You said you brought a friend?”

Thor hummed affirmatively, turning to Loki brightly. “This is Loki!”

“Mm, Laufeyson, isn’t it?” Tony’s eyes were sharp as they licked over him with a gaze that missed little. “You’re Thor’s new roomie, then? I’ve heard about you.”

“I’m flattered,” Loki responded. 

“You should be,” Tony agreed. “I don’t notice people who aren’t worth my time. You’ve been referred to as ‘The Monster’ around our circles. Quite the nickname.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, you did all the work,” Tony shrugged. “And from what I’ve heard, it’s well earned. So what do you think of our boy, Point Break?”

Loki snorted and caught Thor’s eye, who just lifted his shoulders helplessly.

“He’s alright,” he responded, smirking. 

“He’s a viking, you mean,” Tony supplied readily, winking. “Everybody wants a piece of that.”

Loki couldn’t agree more, but his mouth was suddenly very dry and he was extremely grateful for Thor pressing the glass of whiskey into his hand. He took it in one go. 

Tony gave a low whistle, “not messing around tonight, are you?”

“Long week,” Loki lied, placing the glass on the bar, avoiding Thor’s gaze.

Fortunately, things lightened up after that. Tony talked shop with him for a couple of minutes before loudly declaring he’d heard all he needed and would look for a resume from Loki in the morning. Eventually, though, he got whisked away by a very beautiful, stern redhead who let him know some VIP guests had arrived. He waved jovially as he sauntered off, leaving Loki choking on the news that he’d essentially been offered his dream job.

Thor laughed happily as he spluttered in shock and rubbed his back, crowing about how he knew Tony would love him. They ordered another round of drinks and barreled full tilt into the rest of the night. 

As it turned out, Thor was kind of the life of the party, and inevitably dragged Loki onto the dance floor for far longer than Loki had ever been on one in his life. The massive bartender could actually dance fairly well for being a hulking white guy. Inhibitions long since gone and overdue for the mindless thrill of a buzz, Loki lost himself in the drunken spin of the dance floor, practically drinking in Thor’s presence which had only gotten bigger and more heady as the night went on. 

They danced endlessly. Loki found he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Thor. He was beautiful. Hair wild and glinting under the colored lights, his shirt emphasizing the hard planes of muscle over every inch of his torso, a content smile on his face. 

And suddenly he was pressed against Thor’s muscular chest, a thick, strong arm wrapped around his waist. He forgot how they got there, but he didn’t care. Thor had his face buried in his neck, beard scratching lightly at his jaw as they rocked to whatever was thundering through the speakers. 

Ignoring the screaming in the back of his mind telling him to pull away, Loki gripped tighter and closed his eyes to inhale the scent of sandalwood and leather that he’d come to recognize as purely Thor. It was intoxicating. Thor was saying things against his neck and he didn’t catch a single word, distracted by the sensation of Thor’s lips moving against his neck and sending delicious electric shocks through his whole body. Waking him up and sending him into a stupor at the same time. His brain was locked in limbo, completely out of control and for once in his life he completely surrendered to it.

Please don’t be dreaming, he prayed fervently.

But Thor was pulling away and it took everything in Loki’s power to not fight it as his desperate soul clawed inside his chest, pleading for forever in Thor’s arms. He needn’t have worried. Thor’s calloused hand gripped his hip and kept him close, his other hand coming up to grip the back of Loki’s neck and gently tilt his head back. 

“Is this okay?” Thor asked huskily, his voice dropping to impossible depths. 

Loki nodded wordlessly, heart pounding. Thor’s face was so, so close. Loki could count the gold flecks in his eyes and the barest hint of freckles on the bridge of his nose. He pressed forward against Thor’s forehead and closed his eyes, breathing deep to steady himself. 

“I really want to kiss you,” Thor whispered in his ear. 

Loki’s breath hitched in his throat and his eyes flew open, barely daring to hope. 

Thor searched his eyes and then tentatively closed the distance between them, pressing a gentle kiss to Loki’s lips. A strangled moan escaped from the back of Loki’s throat and he fisted his hands into the fabric of Thor’s shirt, pressing back into Thor’s lips for more. All thoughts he’d ever had fled his mind as he dipped his tongue into Thor’s mouth, flicking tentatively across perfect teeth and further as Thor responded eagerly. 

All too soon, they could hear Tony’s voice calling over the din, looking for them. Thor chuckled against Loki’s lips and pulled away reluctantly. 

“I think we’re needed elsewhere,” he breathed, looking into Loki’s eyes like he couldn’t get enough. 

Loki protested, but Thor spun him around and hugged him tightly to his side, angling them off the dance floor towards Tony who was waving to get their attention. 

“Hey, does this mean you’ll ride with me next weekend?” Thor asked, looking at him hopefully. 

“You know you don’t have to take me on a bike ride to get me alone, right?” Loki teased, pressing a long kiss to Thor’s temple. 

Thor laughed, “No, but a first date should be special.”

Loki’s heart soared. “Since you asked so nicely, I’ll see what I can do.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Thor promised, squeezing him a little tighter. “Now, let’s see if we can lock down that dream job for you.”

**Author's Note:**

> So...? Thoughts? Did y'all like it enough to want more from me, or did you hate it and it's a one and done situation? 
> 
> Let me know! <3


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